Vegetable Pakoras

As a companion to the wonderful vegetable samosas, we tried making vegetable pakoras based on the recipe in Robin Robertson's brand new Vegan Fire & Spice. They were surprisingly easy to make and held together just fine (unlike my falafel fiasco). Still, the called-for cayenne isn't my favorite source of heat, so I cut back on the dosage, which also cut back on the flavor. So next time, I'll remember to add a spice like Garam Masala or cumin.

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon dried mint

1/4 teaspoon cumin (or more)

1/4 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala (or more)

2-1/2 cups potatoes (peeled, cooked and riced)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tamarind Dipping sauce

In a bowl, combine the flour and spices with enough water (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) to make a batter. Add the potatoes and peas; mix well. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Shape pieces of dough into fritters (I used an ice cream scoop and then flattened the scoops). Fry until golden, flipping once to brown both sides. Serve with tamarind sauce.